Phase I: Reflections
In reflecting back on Phase I, there are many things I would have done differently. There were a number of unexpected challenges that arose, especially in terms of the time we had for each lesson. I found that, with the format I had set up, the students did not have adequate time to process and response to the reading as well as they could have. As the constraints on time weighed down on me, I realized by the end of the phase that I had become too focused on my mental vision for my lessons and had lost sight of what might be more effective for the students. While it took me two somewhat difficult lessons to realize this, I recognized that both my mindset and my expectations for time in the classroom needed to be adjusted and improved in order for my teaching to be more effective for the students.
Following along these lines, I would have also incorporated more of the students’ preferences and ideas, such as their interest talking about their stories with each other. I thought I was taking a necessary baby step by introducing the QAR question types, but I realized toward the end that I became focused too much on implementing the strategy a not enough on the students’ interests and needs. Late in the phase, I began to see that my students actually wanted to talk about the reading, and yet I had given them little to no time to discuss it with their peers. The idea of having more peer discussion became central in Phase II because of this.
All of these challenges and frustrations helped me to take a step back, re-evaluate the students’ needs and my own goals, and move forward. By looking at my Phase I experiences in a positive light, I used my findings as a springboard for planning my Phase II interventions.
Following along these lines, I would have also incorporated more of the students’ preferences and ideas, such as their interest talking about their stories with each other. I thought I was taking a necessary baby step by introducing the QAR question types, but I realized toward the end that I became focused too much on implementing the strategy a not enough on the students’ interests and needs. Late in the phase, I began to see that my students actually wanted to talk about the reading, and yet I had given them little to no time to discuss it with their peers. The idea of having more peer discussion became central in Phase II because of this.
All of these challenges and frustrations helped me to take a step back, re-evaluate the students’ needs and my own goals, and move forward. By looking at my Phase I experiences in a positive light, I used my findings as a springboard for planning my Phase II interventions.